To: TimF who wrote (358478 ) 4/9/2010 1:39:06 AM From: KLP Read Replies (5) | Respond to of 793646 Understand what you are saying. But the things you mentioned are not truly necessities. In years past and in the present, the basic staples and necessities are things to compare. Montgomery Ward Catalogue of 1895 (Catalogue & Buyer's Guide) [Facsimile] (Paperback This review is from: Montgomery Ward Catalogue of 1895 (Catalogue & Buyer's Guide) (Paperback) This "Montgomery Ward & Co. Catalogue and Buyer's Guide" from Spring/Summer 1895 is better than a time capsule. Most of my ancestors were still on the far side of the Atlantic that year, but for my maternal grandfather's ancestors here are 25,000 items (most of which are illustrated by woodcut) that they could have either had in their homes or dreamed about owning. From straight-edged razors and high buttoned shoes to tea gowns and the New Improved Singer Sewing Machine. Historically, Montgomery Ward prided itself on being the friend of farmers and the official supplier to the Grange. Ward was the first to offer a product guarantee that became the key to earning the respect of rural consumers and building the business. However, in 1887 Ward's main competetior Sears put out his first catalog and upped the ante by showing the customer what they would be buying before they bought it (okay, he also offered lower prices). By the time this 600-page catalogue came out in 1895 Ward was following suit. Flip through it and see what sort of amenities were making their way out to the farms at the end of the 19th-century. You could buy a buggy for $60 or spend $200 on a piano. Here you can get a bathtub, chairs, watches, hats, and even a Star Raisin Seeder. How about a solid-gold eighteen-karat wedding band for only $5? Looking through these pages will give you a sense what it was like in 1895, when the average worker had to put in 16 hours to earn enough money to buy a hair brush or 260 hours for a one-speed bicycle.>b? Just looking through the pages of books you could order was enlightening. Actually, this is more like a time machine than a time capsuleamazon.com co.morris.nj.us i156.photobucket.com costumes.org